Labour Reproves Fayose Over Purchase Of N74m SUV

Organised labour in Ekiti State has berated the state governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose, over alleged purchase of a N74 million Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) and for allegedly paying himself a sum of N43million severance package as parting gifts.

This was contained in a statement jointly signed by Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) chairman, Comrade Ade Adesanmi and his Trade Union Congress (TUC) counterpart, Mr Odunayo Adesoye, made available to newsmen in Ado Ekiti, yesterday.

The labour leaders described the development as an act of insensitivity to the plight of workers in the state.

The union wondered why the governor, who was yet to pay the backlog of salaries of workers, would contemplate getting an exotic vehicle and pay himself severance as parting gifts.

They threatened that there would be industrial disharmony in the state, if he goes ahead with his plans to pay himself and his deputy that huge amount and purchasing the new vehicle.

The statement reads, “If it is true that the state government has approved the purchase of N74million worth of vehicle as parting gift and N43 million severance package each, for the governor and his deputy, we stand to condemn it in its entirety. It is an act of selfishness and insensitivity to the plight of workers and pensioners in Ekiti State.

“If a government is owing workers several arrears of salaries and at this critical time, the state ought to have mopped up all its resources to ensure that the outstanding salary arrears and other entitlements are defrayed. The governor as an individual is now clamouring for the payment of severance allowance and take-away gift of N74 million Utility Sport Vehicle.

“We call on the governor to desist from such act and look for a way to pay workers’ salaries and if government should go ahead with this action, there will be industrial crisis in Ekiti State.”

Adesanmi said, “I don’t think that act is right, we stand to condemn it as well, because property that have been existing for several years now and have not been sold by previous governments, are now being put up for sale when you have just few weeks to exit. Such an act is condemnable and people buying that kind of property should know that this is not right, the incoming government would set up administrative panel to look into it.”

When contacted for reaction, the commissioner for Information in the state, Lanre Ogunsuyi, said he had no comment on the allegations.